Motto Guzzi's First V 7's example essay topic

Italian Motorcycles Since the early 1900's many companies have emerged in Italy to make some of the best motorcycles in the world. Though some companies may have failed, a few great companies prevailed to make the most high tech machines and win numerous world championships. Ducati Ducati started out with bicycles with engines clipped on. The company's success came from designer Fabio Taglioni. In 1954 he created a single cylinder machine with a shaft driven overhead cam-shaft that formed the basis for Ducati. Taglioni also added Desmodromic valve gears to racing versions.

This utilized the camshaft rather than the springs to close the valves. (Wilson 92) Ducati became renowned for superb performance and handling. The first Demo Ducati was the very successful 125 cc Gran Prix bikes of the late 1950's. These bikes were runners up in the 1958 World Championship. (Wilson 92) Ducati was building single cylinder bikes with shaft driven camshafts for fifteen years, when the company decided to move into the bigger bike market. The 750 went on sale in 1971, and a sports version appeared the following year.

Later the capacity was increased to 900 cc. The 1973 Ducati 750 was an air-cooled, overhead-camshaft, four-stroke 90-degree V-twin. It produced a boasting 55 b hp@ 7,900 rpm. The top speed was 115 mph.

(Wilson 93) The Ducati 750 ss Imola was introduced in 1972. Ten special racing versions of the new 750 road bike were built to compete in the 1972 Imola 200. Victory would ensure excellent publicity for the racers, and that is exactly what the Ducati team expected to achieve. On the day of the race, Ducati scored a double win, with Paul Smart in first and Bruno Spagiari in second.

(Wilson 94) Ducati's decisive win in the 1972 Imola 200 began the remarkable racing career of its V-twins that continues today with total domination of the world Superbike Championships in the early 1990's. (Wilson 94) In 1989 the Ducati 851 was born. It was the most complex Ducati road bike ever built, though it still retained Desmodromic valve operation and the 90 degree V-twin engine layout. (Microsoft Encarta) It utilized four camshafts, eight valves, water cooling, and fuel injection- all firsts for a road Ducati.

The 851 was the basis for the successful 888 Superbike racer and modern Ducatis'. (Wilson 93) Gilera Giuseppe Gilera founded the firm in 1909 when he was only 22 years old. The company grew quickly and, in 1920, moved to the large new factory in Arco re, outside Milan, which it occupies today. In 1935, Gilera acquired the R ondine design and this machine provided the basis for the factory racers for the next thirty years. (Wilson 96) The Saturno appeared in 1939, but production began only after the war. The Saturno belonged to a line of Gilera machines made during the forties and fifties.

Also in this line were the Mars and Nett uno. This solid sporty bike, based on previous 500 cc singles, had few novel features but was attractive and popular. It stayed in the Gilera line until 1959. Tuned Saturno were raced by the factory, and a limited number were also made available to customers.

In 1947, Carlo Bandirola won at San Remo, and Gilera also won for the next four years. As a result, racing versions of the Saturno became known as "San Remos". In 1949 the Gilera Saturno San Remos was made. Although they raced at international meetings and became a mainstay of Italian national competitors, San Remos never seriously challenged the multi-cylinder or overhead-camshaft machines of the opposition. (Wilson 96) The company declined after the death of Feruccio, Gilera's son in 1956.

The company was the sold in 1969 to Piaggio. Piaggio was best known for the Vespa Scooter. Piaggio also made small two-stroke bikes. (Wilson 96) New models built in 1987, traded on its association with Gilera's sporting reputation. In 1989 a new Saturno was built.

Originally aimed at the Japanese market, the Gilera Saturno was eventually sold worldwide. (Microsoft Encarta) The Nuovo Saturno, like it's namesake, is a light-weight, sporty, 500 cc single cylinder but with all the attributes of a modern machine. (Wilson 97) Motto Guzzi Foundations for the Motto Guzzi Company were laid before the First World War by Italian Air Force pilots Giovanni Ravelli, Giorgio Parodi, their mechanic and driver Carlo Guzzi. Ravelli was killed in the war, but Guzzi and Parodi went on to set up the company at Mandell o del Lari o. (Microsoft Encarta) The Motto Guzzi logo was The Eagle Motif, used by the Italian Air Force, in tribute to their friend, Giovanni Ravelli. (Wilson 103) Their first prototype, designed by Guzzi, was built in 1920.

It was an advanced four-valve overhead-camshaft horizontal single-cylinder machine. A more conventional two-valve layout was adopted for production. Excellent design, quality construction, and high performance made Motto Guzzi one of Italy's biggest manufacturers. (Wilson 100) The 1928 Motto Guzzi 500 S was the company's first bike. The 498.4 cc Motto Guzzi had one of the longest production runs of any motorcycle. The 1920 model was so advanced in its design that the last Guzzi single built in 1976, had the same bore and stroke dimensions of the original.

The S model, with its hand gearshift and rigid rear end, was one of the most basic versions. (Wilson 100) Motto Guzzi is not afraid to stick with good ideas-its excellent flat-single design lasted fifty years before it was declared obsolete. A new design began production in 1967, and it has been the mainstay of the Guzzi range ever since. The shaft-driven 90 degree V-twin was originally intended for police and military use, but was subsequently developed as a tourer and later as a sports bike. (Wilson 102) The Dondolino (meaning "rocking chair") was a production racer built from 1946 to 1951. The single-cylinder Moto Guzzi were very successfully raced by the factory and by independent racers.

Although conservative in its approach to the development of road bikes, Moto Guzzi's designers produced some remarkable racing machines. These included supercharged three cylinders, in-line shaft-driven fours, 120 degree V-twins and the amazing 500 cc V 8 that made its debut in 1954. The V 8 was designed by the famous Moto Guzzi designer, Guild Car cano. In 1957 a V 8 achieved 151 mph over 6 1/4 miles from standing start, but Guzzi withdrew from racing later that year, with the potential of the V 8 unrealized. (Wilson 102) Motto Guzzi's first V 7's used a 704 cc engine, but, in 1969, the capacity was increased to 757 cc and a few other small changes were made.

The improved machine was called the V 7 Special and closely followed the style of its predecessor. The introduction of a new, better-handling chassis in 1972 brought a change in character for the V-twin. The first sporty 750's were followed in 1976 by a long line of Le Mans models. (Wilson 103) Though some of these companies suffered many hardships on their road to success, they are all still making motorcycles, and some still winning world championships. Ducati has grown to be in most motorcycle enthusiast eyes as the greatest motorcycles ever built. They are still known for sleek design, superb handling, and extreme speed.

Bibliography

Wilson, Hugo. The Ultimate Motor Cycle Book. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1993 Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99. Redmond, WA. 1993-1998 Dreg ni, Michael.
The Spirit of the Motorcycle. Voyageur Press Inc. 1961.